1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of installing a device driver for controlling a network compliant peripheral device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have conventionally been known a service providing apparatus and service providing system which meet a service request from a client apparatus on a network. Along with rapid spread of Internet communications, devices of various types have been developed as network compliant devices in addition to a conventional personal computer. Examples of these devices are user interactive devices (e.g., a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) and cell phone), and image processing apparatuses (e.g., a scanner, printer, copying machine, and digital camera). Even home appliances such as televisions, air conditioners, and refrigerators comply with a network.
With the advance of network compliant devices, a technique of searching for a network device which provides a service has been developed. There is proposed a technique, protocol, and architecture which automatically set up application software, utility software, an operating system, and the like for controlling a network compliant device (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2004-038956, 2004-362594, and 2003-099219).
Companies and standardization groups have proceeded with the establishment of specifications in order to expand Plug and Play technologies(PnP), which has been applied to local I/O connection devices, so as to be used in a network device.
For example, UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and WSD (Web Services for Devices) have been developed mainly by Microsoft, USA. Other examples of PnP are BMLinkS promoted by Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association (JBMIA), and Renedzvous supported by OS X developed by Apple Computer, USA.
It is expected to improve convenience as the network PnP prevails.
A case will be considered where a portable terminal (e.g., a notebook PC, PDA, or cell phone) uses a printer on a given network as a network device. In this case, it is sufficient to install a printer device driver (in this case, a printer driver) corresponding to one printer in the notebook PC.
In this case, however, an adverse effect of a network PnP device is conceivable. An unwanted network device against the user's will is detected in using a portable terminal, and the driver and application of the detected network device may be installed in the portable terminal.
This adverse effect can be easily understood by considering a case where, for example, a notebook personal computer is moved from home or an office at the place of employment and used in a different network configuration such as an office at the visit or at a hot spot in a public facility. In this case, even if the user does not intend to use a network device, the PnP function of the notebook personal computer may discover a network device running in the network configuration. In other words, the driver and application of an unwanted network device may be automatically installed.
As a result, hardware resources, especially, memory resource of a mobile device is uselessly wasted. Software which is not reliable in security may be installed while the user is not aware of it. This may lead to a serious damage such as destruction or leakage of information.
Every time the PnP function of a mobile device such as a notebook PC, PDA, or cell phone discovers a network device, a pop-up message which prompts installation, a warning message, or the like is displayed. When a network contains several ten or several hundred network devices, the user of the mobile device is annoyed with procedures and work to cancel these messages.